Sea-shell whistle



March 3, 1931. G. JORDAHN SEA SHELL WHISTLE File d March 26, 1930 INVENTOR Gag Jordahn M 76 ATTORNEY Q Patented Mar. 3, 1931 I UNITED STATES GUS JORDAHN, or PALM rniicnfriiomnn SEA-SHELL "wnisrmsr Application filed March 26, 1930. F'Ser'iaI 1T0. 439,120.

Figure 2 is a cross 'sectiontaken on theiline 22 of Figure 1. r

As has been indicated already, the purpose 1 of the invention is to convert a sea-shellinto a whistle by which conversion an object otherwise useless for any purpose other than possibly ornamentation is converted into an instrument of utility.

nated 1 is of the speciesNevita Pelevonta, otherwise commonly known in localities where it is found as the bleeding-tooth shell. This species of shell is found in abun dance along the sea coast of Florida and southwest as far as the West Indies.

Its general characteristics arethat of a hollow body 2 which has a single'D-shaped opening 3 the curved part of which is defined by the rounded back or extension 4 of the body 2, the erect or straight part of which is defined by a lip 5 that represents the other terminal of the body.

This lip is dished in as seen in Figure 2 thus defining a resonance chamber 6 that is well adapted to a whistle. It is in the external surface of the lip 5 that pronounced tinges of red appear thus suggesting the name quoted above.

Teeth 7 appear on the edge of the lip 5. The number of these teeth varies. Some-. v times shells will be found with only one dis tinct tooth. More often shells are found I with two distinct teeth, and even shells with a suggestion of three teeth can be found.

Cut into the rounded back 4 is a slot 8. This 3 Fi 1 b virtue of the rounded contour The particular sea-shell generally desig properly.

of the back. The slot or opening 8 is to be blown into, for which purpose the adjoining part'of-the back 4 becomes the mouthpiece. -It is important to so locate the opening 8' that' the breath will'be-blown directly across the orifice 90f the chamber 6 in the direction 7 of the arrow 10. The air thus-blown across carries with it someofthe air of the chamber 7 6, creating a partial vacuum there and setting up the rarefaction half of a sound-wave. 6O

, This is reflected from the inside of the chamber and is followed by the condensation half of the wave from the outer air.

i The effect is a rapid vibration of the air column in the chamber 6 and a resultant whistling sound.- It is here that the teeth 7 play an important part. Rather than producing a mere lifeless sound the teeth have the effect of voicing the whistle so that a tone of some quality is emitted. By placing the whistlein his cupped hand so that the body 2 rests in the palm with the opening 3 turned outwardly the user will blow into the opening 8 which he should leave ex- 1 posed between the thumb and forefinger,

whereupon the other part of the hand acts as a bell-mouth which tends to reinforce the sound.

It is important to locate the opening 8 p A line drawn across the orifice 9 from the substantial center of theopening should clear the lower bulge 11 of the body 2 as indicated by the extension 12 of the' arrow'1O. A shell so converted will make the shrillest'and best whistle. If the open- 8 I ing 8 be located either higher up or farther down upon the rounded back 8 the whistle becomes far more difiicult to blow. In the instance of lowering the position ofvthe opening toward the edge of theextension l the air blast will be divided by the lip 5 so that the requiredvibration in the chamber 6 will be interrupted.

In addition to this mechanical aspect the whistle also involves the method of its produ'ction. It is not possible to use all seashells for the. purpose, hence the first step is a factor of selection of a species which possesses a hollow body having a lip opposing its rounded back. The next step is to properly locate the opening 8 so that the film of air blown across the orifice 9 will set the air column to vibrating and, in fact, itself act somewhat on the order of a vibrating reed.

I claim 1. A whistle consisting of a sea-shell of the species Nevita Pelevonta whiohrcomprises a hollow body having a bulge and a rounded back extending to an edge line which sub- 10 stantially meets the bulge and having a lip extending from the bulge inspaced butcom fronting relationship to the back to define an orifice for the hollow body, said rounded back having an opening substantially in line with the lip and the bulge.

2. A whistle comprising a shell having a hollow body with a rounded back and an openingya lip extending inwardly from the opening to define an orifice, said back being perforated with a hole in =alinement with the lip and the side of the opening from which the lip extends.

1 GUS JORDAHN. 

